Homeopathic Tutorial – Arnica, a Remedy for Depresson

By Steve Olsen ND, DHANP

Arnica – A steep Climb up the Mountain of Life

Summary: Arnica is a common remedy for emotional depression. The patient feels beaten down, inferior and fears another emotional bruising but keeps struggling. Compare: Aurum, Lac-can, Lyc, Silica, Gels.

Arnica is the most used homeopathic remedy as bodily injury is the most common reason for a doctor visit. So we already know what a wonderful remedy it is but we can also learn how to use it for emotional conditions – so now it can become even more wonderful.

Consider this case summary.

22 Year old female with depression.

Physical symptoms:

• Painful acne with blisters and puss – finally it forms a scar.
• Swelling under the eyes.
• Chronic pain in the lower back – diagnosed as a disc problem. At times I can’t bend my lower back – very painful to bend forward. Many back spasms.
• Sore right shoulder – burning pain – pain with external pressure.
• Shoulder pain worse from exertion such as holding daughter or sports.

Emotional symptoms:

• I feel I will never succeed – so what is the point.
• Fear of failure.
• I often feel down on myself.
• I have trapped potential I can’t move forward.
• Depression and anguish.
• Shy – difficult to express herself – difficult to be intimate with others and can’t trust others.
• Fear of responsibility for other peoples feelings – it feels like a burden – I stew on it – I can’t solve it so I feel inadequate.
• One time I had a boat accident – I nearly drowned – I had a fear to call for help as I felt no one would be there for me – I have a fear to be vulnerable.
• When I play music in front of others I fear I will die. Anxiety and stage fright.
• I have a fear of rejection.
• I don’t like to feel alone and isolated and insecure but I do have those feelings at times.
• Grief from abandonment – my boyfriend left me – I felt betrayed.
• I find it difficult to trust again – fear to leave the house as I use to fear him and his mother would hurt me or take my child from me.
• I felt they put me down and made me feel not good enough – I felt disrespected.
• They made me feel not good enough – so I felt lost and without an identity – I was an alien – like there was a wall between me and others.
• So I worked hard on myself to get better.
• I feel I make mistakes and then feel inadequate.
• For a time I was bitter, angry and resentful at my x-boyfriend.
• So now I am very cautious.
• Fear to be alone to be physically attacked.
• I feel too vulnerable in public.
• Fear of rape and strangers.
• Fear of dark when outside.
• Fear of failure.
• Bites nails.
• Loves music.

Discussion

Generally this patient has been beaten down emotionally, she feels emotionally bruised, vulnerable, inferior and small inside. She has become afraid and cautious as a result but wants to try again to succeed. Basically this is a case where the main limitation is TIMIDITY from being emotionally traumatized. Constantine Hering and James Kent both listed Arnica under timidity.

On repertorizaton Lycopodium was the first remedy according to RADAR.

This is understandable as she feels inadequate and fearful. We do not see any overcompensation or other strong keynotes for Lycopodium so I did not prescribe it.

In the rubric Cautious we find the following remedies:

acon. alco. am-c. anac. arn. ars. aur-m-n. aur. bar-c. brom. cact. calc. carc. caust. chel. chin. cic. coff. Cupr. dros. graph. hyos. Ign.ip. kali-n. kali-s. lach. lact. LYC. m-arct. mang. nat-c. nat-m. nit-ac. nux-v. oci-sa. op. petr-ra. ph-ac. PULS. sil. spig. stram. sulph. tax. thuj. verat.

One could also consider Silica and Aurum from this list. To prescribe Silica we would like to see ingrown toe nails, extra perspiration and constipation – none of which she had. For Aurum we usually see a much heavier depression with the idea that “there is no way out and total hopelessness” although I think in a very severe Arnica case the patient may present this way. I think Arnica and Aurum share also the feeling that no matter how well they do something it is never good enough.

The other remedy I considered strongly was Lac caninum. It is listed under:

• Fear of failure
• Confidence, want of
• Timidity and
• Ailments after being abused

Our patient though is not trying to please anyone in particular in order to feel included and safe and she did not have nightly salivation and so I rejected this remedy.

The number two remedy is the repertorization was Carcinosin. This remedy is well known for people who have been beaten down, suppressed and struggle to regain an identity. My patient was not fastidious or overly sympathetic so I let it pass.

Finally we come to the possibility of Arnica. In the repertorization it came up number three. It is listed under:

• Want of confidence
• Reproaching self
• Fear of injury
• Fear of coition, rape
• Fear of failure
• Suspicious
• Cautious
• Timidity
• Back injuries
• Shoulder injuries
• Fear of strangers
• Painful acne

Based on this information I gave Arnica 200c one dose.

Her report back was: I feel more confident and worry less about my actions. The shoulder pain is much less. I feel more balanced overall. The first day after the remedy the acne was worse and then it improved. I feel less hesitation in my relationships with others as if I have more courage. I feel more expressive with others and less self conscious. I am less in doubt about my actions like I am in a more natural flow with life. My brain can focus better. I feel more confident when I play music. Less anger to the past and more forgiveness. Less fear to be outside at night – this is about 80 percent better. Much less low back pain. The shoulder feels 95 percent better. Much less nail biting.

Conclusion

How many people feel beaten down for one reason or another, emotionally black and blue from the trials of life? Financially beaten down, beaten down emotionally by a neglectful parent or suffering emotionally after a physical attack or beating. The human spirit is resilient it tries to stand up again, regain its confidence and make strides forward but this can be a fearful experience and not without suspicion of another attack. Arnica is the remedy for these cases and goes a long way to heal the beatings.

I had another Arnica case a woman lost everything in the stock market – her house was taken from her. She was in a type of stupor, dazed by the shock. Arnica set her right along with all her old sports injuries. In another case a 66 year old woman came to me for depression. She was taking  Hydrobromide as an antidepressant for many years. She had a type of lethargy and very low vitality. “I feel inadequate” she said. “I am not good for anything, I have never been smart. My father use to spank me with a razor strap. He broke my heart (trauma). My father adored me but he died when I was eleven years old (trauma). From this death I felt he did not want me (feels low and of no consequence). At work I feel less than others. I could never do public speaking I was terrified of it – I had a fear to make a fool of myself and to be rejected. I am embarrassed easily. Arthritis worse from cold. Arms are sore to touch. Painful stiffness. I am hard on myself and very sensitive to criticism. Painful coition so avoids it for many years. Does not bruise easily.” After Arnica 30c one dose a week for a month: Energy is much better i.e. use to be five out of ten now it is eight out of ten. Confidence is much improved not so hard on herself. “I feel more equal to others” she says. Back and arthritis is much better. Memory improved for words.

Fianal Arnica case: Male in 30”s Cauda Equina Syndrome following a sports injury – twist to lower spine – trauma to ligament of intervetrebral disc. Has not been able to have a bowel movement in a week. Diagnosed with a prolapsed lumbar disc. Weakness of lower extremities, can not flex lower spine in any direction. Has to sit and stand straight to prevent severe pain. Severe muscle spasms of lover spine on any motion. Can only take very small steps like a penguin. Worse from sitting. Arter Arnica 200c one dose: Thirty percent better within twelve hours and had a completed bowel movement the day after the Arnica. Ninety percent better in three days and back playing sports in five days with the advice to take Arnica 30c before each game. Patient had a history of feeling like a failure, beaten down and neglected by his father – feeling of little consequence. He always tried hard to succeed. After Arnica: more confident, not feeling like a failure on waking in the morning, more vitality in general.